Cyprus and Lebanon signed on Wednesday an Agreement on the Delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the two countries and agreed to explore the possibility of interconnecting their electricity grid by creating technical working groups and through a feasibility study.
The President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, traveled to Lebanon on Wednesday morning, where he held a private meeting with his counterpart, Joseph Aoun. This was followed by an expanded meeting, after which President Christodoulides and Lebanon’s Minister of Public Works and Transport signed the EEZ delimitation agreement.
In joint statements with Aoun after the signing, President Christodoulides described the Delimitation Agreement between Cyprus and Lebanon as ‘a milestone of strategic significance that seals, in the clearest possible way, the level of our relations.’
He emphasized that with the signing of this very important Agreement, ‘we are sending a strong political message: that Cyprus and Lebanon, on the basis of International Law, the relevant United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and of course, good-neighborly relations, continue to invest in strengthening trust and mutual respect. They continue to invest in promoting bilateral and regional cooperation and stability, for the benefit of our citizens and the wider Middle East region.’
With today’s historic agreement, he added, ‘we are closing a long-pending issue of many years and now looking to the future and to what our countries can jointly build on this foundation.’
President Christodoulides thanked his counterpart, saying that the signing of the Agreement would not have been possible without his political will and determination, as well as the contribution of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, the government, and Lebanon’s political leadership.
He added that the successful conclusion of the negotiations was the result of ‘tireless and methodical work, in a spirit of trust and transparency, by our two negotiating teams,’ expressing appreciation and gratitude to their heads, Lebanon’s Minister of Transport and Public Works, Fayez Rasamny, and Cyprus’ National Security Advisor, Tasos Tzionis. He also thanked the members of the Cypriot Negotiating Team ‘who, with their expertise and dedication, contributed to today’s success.’
It is noted that the signing of the EEZ Delimitation Agreement closes an issue pending for nearly twenty years.
According to CNA sources, the Agreement is based on the Median Line, which has been the longstanding position of the Republic of Cyprus.
The initial Cyprus-Lebanon EEZ Agreement was signed in January 2007, but was not ratified by Lebanon due to internal issues. After the Cyprus-Israeli EEZ Agreement was signed in 2010, Lebanon raised claims of loss of maritime area, linked to its dispute with Israel. The Lebanon-Israeli dispute was resolved in 2022 through a U.S.-mediated agreement establishing their lateral maritime boundary.
Following the election of President Aoun in January 2025, Cyprus-Lebanon negotiations resumed at an intensive pace. Negotiations were held in Beirut in September 2025, and a revised text of the Agreement was agreed upon. It was approved by the Cabinets of Cyprus and Lebanon on 15 and 23 October 2025 respectively.
Turkey had consistently opposed and acted to prevent the signing of this agreement.
Prospects for cooperation in energy and infrastructure
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‘The Agreement we have just signed significantly enhances the prospects for cooperation in critical sectors such as Energy and Infrastructure. It also provides the necessary legal and economic certainty, and of course security, for potential investors, while at the same time strengthening the efforts of our countries to further develop our energy programs,’ President Christodoulides continued in his remarks.
At the same time, he noted that the agreement strengthens the prospects for energy cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean and the region’s potential to act as an alternative energy corridor for Europe.
‘Beyond its energy and economic impact, I must also highlight the indisputable fact that agreements of this kind constitute a strategic foundation for regional stability and security in our particularly complex region. And today, with determination, vision, and deep faith in the capabilities of our countries, and through a positive approach, we are taking a substantial step toward a safer future for our countries and the wider region,’ he stressed.
Joint Request to the World Bank for an Electricity Interconnection Study
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The two Presidents also welcomed the dialogue that has already begun on the Cyprus-Lebanon electricity interconnection. In this direction, President Christodoulides said that ‘today, Cyprus and Lebanon jointly addressed the World Bank for the preparation of the relevant feasibility study for the specific project.’
Cyprus’ Support for Lebanon-EU Relations
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Beyond the signing of the Agreement and the discussions on broader energy issues, the President noted that the two leaders also had the opportunity to exchange views on further expanding bilateral cooperation, regional developments directly affecting both countries, and Lebanon-EU relations, ‘which Cyprus supports actively and substantively,’ as he said. He also said that he briefed President Aoun on the latest developments in the Cyprus Issue.
‘Mr. President, I want to repeat publicly once again that we know very well the challenges Lebanon faces, and we recognize and actively support the efforts you have made from the first day of your election for their effective handling. We welcome your determination and decisive contribution to bringing Lebanon and its people into a new, much better era. And today, I want to assure you once again that Cyprus remains your most stable, reliable and predictable partner in this great effort,’ he said.
Within this context, he said that Cyprus fully supports Lebanon’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. ‘We look forward to the full implementation, by all parties, of the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions regarding UNIFIL. We are fully aware that a stable and strong Lebanon is a foundation for a peaceful and secure Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, and Cyprus supports through concrete actions the achievement of this goal,’ he noted.
In this direction, he added, and as the closest EU Member State to the region, and ahead of Cyprus assuming the Presidency of the EU Council in the first half of 2026, ‘we will further strengthen our role as a channel of communication and a vehicle of meaningful cooperation between Lebanon and the EU. We will continue to be pioneers in the broader deepening and development of EU relations with the region, actively contributing to the enhancement of strategic dialogue and joint actions.’
Concluding, the President stressed that the friendship between Cyprus and Lebanon is not only historical, but ‘a close, sincere, dynamic, and evolving relationship upon which we are building our common future.” “With today’s signing, we add another building block to this long and strategic path of cooperation and friendship, which naturally reflects the close ties between our peoples,’ he said.
On his part, the President of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun, speaking through an interpreter, said that “we are here to celebrate the completion of the delineation of the Exclusive Economic Zone between our two countries. This will allow both Lebanon and Cyprus to launch the exploration of their respective maritime resources as well as foster collaboration between our countries on this level”.
He said that the two of them still have a lot to accomplish together. On a bilateral level, following the agreement, “we can now work on developing bilateral agreements thereby facilitating and enhancing the work of exploration companies in both our countries. We can also proceed with launching new joint projects in the fields of energy – particularly renewable energy – as well as telecommunications and transmission lines, in addition to tourism programs. Similarly, we keep working together in the field of joint defense and security, with the ‘Search and Rescue Center’ common to both Ministries of Defense in our countries”, he said.
Moreover, President Aoun said that Lebanon is looking forward to Cyprus’ Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2026, to activate and intensify “our mechanisms of engagement and cooperation with Europe. Our European agenda includes very important milestones, foremost of which, is the draft strategic partnership between Lebanon and the European Union which we sincerely hope to sign during your presidency of the Union”, he noted.
He also mentioned the common interest projects, such as efforts deployed to counter illegal immigration in the Mediterranean, and “the promised and much needed prospects to carry out and sustain this vital mission for the security of Europe and our sovereignty” adding that Lebanon has shown “great commitment in this field”.
“Our cooperation targets no one, nor does it exclude anyone. It is not meant to block the way of any friend or partner. On the contrary, we want this agreement to become the cornerstone of an international cooperation we wish to extend to our whole region, to provide stability and prosperity for all our countries and peoples” he stressed.
He added that “we openly and truly issue a call to pursue this maritime understanding with all parties seeking cooperation and the wellbeing of all our citizens. We believe this is the only way to put an end to violence, wars, and policies of hegemonial greed which came at a very high cost to our region and its people.”